Now, Then, Forever
by NamiRhyme
Summary: Zuko never forgets. Maiko Oneshot. Pure fluff.


_I am SUCH a sucker for Maiko. It's just so...HRRRGGGMMMPPPH adorable._

_Take note this is the first fanfic (actually, first story in general) I've written in a third-person perspective. So don't expect too much._

_Basically, this story is a retelling of most Maiko events with the addition of the "heart rock". The heart rock was a concept that was erased from the series. Basically, Mai gave Zuko a corny heart shaped rock to remember her by. Corny? Sure. Absolutely adorkable Maiko fodder? HELL YES._

_Many Maiko fans have already done their retelling. So I may as well do mine. The format is very choppy, so it may be hard to follow. Apologies._

_Pairings other than Maiko; Zutara bashing if you squint, Kataang if you drink some cactus juice and turn your computer upside down._

_I use actual series dialogue as best I can. Some of it won't be exact._

* * *

**Now, Then, Forever. A fluffy oneshot by NamiRhyme**

His sister and the pink-clad girl turned cartwheels across the courtyard. The ebony-locked one sat against a tree, often reading a book, or simply staring up at the clouds. She'd sigh every so often, fiddle with the hem of her robe, and return to her boredom.

The prince was intrigued by his sister's mysterious friend. His sister being his only interaction with a female (other than his mother), the young prince immediately assumed all members of the opposite gender were...well, like Azula.

The ivory skinned girl in his courtyard was a contradiction to his belief, had he ever seen one.

He longed to know more about her; why she was so quiet, why she never smiled, why she made friends with someone like his sister. But every time he'd allow himself a glance at the girl, her eyes would widen and she would quickly turn away.

The prince sighed.

"I guess she doesn't like me..." He said under his breath. The young boy of 9 sat beside his mother at the turtleduck pond, absent-mindedly skimming his hands through the cool water's edge.

His mother laughed lightly.

"Oh, I think it's far from that, Zuko," Zuko flushed harshly. He had not intended for his mother to hear his utterance.

"I-I don't know what...ugh..." He propped his head against his knees, and sulked. His mother laughed again.

"It's not funny mom!" He protested. "It's true! I mean, all I do is look at her. Actually, it's all I can do. But every time I try, she just turns away!" The prince crossed his arms, finishing his ramble haughtily. His mother ruffled his hair. Zuko's scowl deepened, but didn't refuse his mother's touch.

"I'm sure she likes you fine, Zuko,"

"How can you be so sure?" He replied skeptically. Putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully, his mother plucked a nearby fire tulip from the grass. She handed it to her son.

"Next time you see her, give her this,"

The prince stared down at the plant in his hand, to his mother, back to the plant, and gaped.

"...What, why?" His mother patted his head.

"You'll see. Go on now, I'll watch from here," She ushered her son off. Reluctantly, the prince rose and shuffled awkwardly across the courtyard.

Zuko's sister and her other friend were engaged in a game of what looked like Follow the Leader. Naturally, Azula was the leader. The two girls paid no heed to the older boy pattering across the yard.

Tentatively, Zuko approached the tree where the mysterious black-haired girl took her place every day at the palace. He shifted his weight from side to side.

"Um..." The girl looked up, startled. She stared up at the prince. Reflexively, she turned away, her cheeks pinkening.

"Why do you always turn away?" Zuko questioned, gloomily. The girl didn't respond. The prince ran a hand through his hair, a habit that would continue into his adulthood.

"Uh...here," Awkwardly, Zuko thrust his hand out, clutching the fire tulip his mother instructed him to present.

"I...uh...wanted to give...this to you...?" His eyes darted left and right, but would not look directly at the girl to which he was presenting the flower.

Stunned, she stared at the Prince's outstretched hand. No one had ever given her a flower. Actually, no boy had ever bothered to acknowledge her before.

She took the flower from the boy's grasp.

"...Thank you," She said quietly, her voice a low rasp.

"Zuko?" The prince cringed. Behind him, someone tugged violently at his topknot, the tie slacking, letting his hair loose.

"Azula...! You...rrrgg!" The princess howled with laughter.

"What are you doing here, Zuzu? Shouldn't you be with mother, watching the little turtleducks?"

"Don't call me that!" Zuko spat. He snatched the red fallen hair-tie from his sister's grasp.

"Whatever. Ty Lee, Mai, let's go," The pink clad girl hopped merrily after the princess. The dark haired one, however, lingered.

Zuko, struggling to pull his hair back into its topknot, muttered a few things about his sister under his breath.

Hesitantly, the dark haired girl approached the prince. She put her small hand over his.

"Here, let me help," She seized the red tie and restyled Zuko's hair back into its royal topknot. When she was done, the prince rose to face her.

"Thanks...uh..."

"Mai. My name is Mai,"

"Mai. Thank you," The flower he had given her was tucked neatly behind her ear, a splash of bright red in her crown of ebony locks.

"Mai!" Azula shrieker from across the courtyard. "Hurry up! And stop talking to that loser!"

Zuko grit his teeth, and Mai sighed.

"I have to go..." She began to walk away, but stopped to say, "But just between you and me...I don't think you're a loser, Prince Zuko,"

* * *

"She's so nice, mom!" The young prince gushed as his mother tucked him into bed. His mother chuckled.

"She's nothing like Azula! She even helped me put my hair back up!"

"That's very nice, sweety," His mother cooed. She placed a kiss upon her son's forehead. "Mai will be back tomorrow you can talk to her more then," The prince smiled brightly. His mother smiled back warmly.

"Good night, mom,"

"Good night, Zuko,"

* * *

The following week, Lady Ursa had disappeared. The distraught prince flew through the hallways, nearly colliding with his newly-crowned Fire Lord father.

"Zuko, do watch where you're going,"

"Where is she?" Zuko sobbed, clenching his teeth fiercely. His father only smirked, pushed his son to the side, and ventured down to the throne room.

Zuko ran to the foyer of the palace.

"She's not coming back, you know,"

"Shut UP, Azula!" His sister checked her nails nonchalantly.

"What are you going to do about it, tell mom?" The princess cackled. Zuko clenched his fists, ran out of the palace and into the courtyard.

The prince sat in front of the turtleduck pond, sulking. Even the turtleducks looks sad, he thought to himself.

"Azula always lies," The grass rustled beside Zuko as she sat down.

The prince looked to the young girl of aristocracy beside him. Her blank, vacant expression seemed to have a small hint of pity, maybe even worry.

Zuko said nothing, but stared at his rippling reflection in the pond.

Mai slid her hand over the brush her fingertips against the prince's.

* * *

"You'll see her again, I know it,"

Four years passed, and Zuko's mother never returned. With every passing day, his sister grew more vicious toward him, and his father more bitter and aggravated with his useless son. It seemed that the only family member that didn't severely detest the prince was his Uncle Iroh. And as much as Zuko loved his Uncle, he could only play paisho and drink tea for so long each day.

The 13 year old prince sat under a tree, pretending to read a book. Love Among The Dragons, his mother's favorite. Despite it being a wonderful read, Zuko could not shake the images of the horrible Ember Island Player's rendition he had seen on a vacation so many years previous.

"What're you reading?" Zuko yelped and slammed the book shut. Mai smirked.

"Love Among The Dragons? Isn't that a little corny, Zuko?" The prince flushed.

"It's my mother's...er, was my mother's,"

"Oh..." Mai sat beside Zuko. Absentmindedly, she flung a knife at a tree across the courtyard. Zuko never questioned Mai's knife throwing abilities. He only watched in silent awe as her knives hit the same target ten out of ten times.

"Zuko," Mai said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Here," Mai seized the prince's hand, pressing a small, rough object into his palm.

"I...uh, found this the other day. It's a lava rock, and it remind me of you...Since you're a fire bender and all that. And I wouldn't dare give something this stupid to Azula, not that I'm saying you're stupid...ah..."

Zuko raised a brow. It was the most he had ever heard Mai speak.

He opened his palm. He held a black molten rock, vaguely resembling...

"A heart..." Mai said faintly. She turned away quickly. Zuko blushed.

"Uh...thanks Mai...that's very sw-"

"Don't you dare say it's sweet. That word disgusts me,"

The prince smiled faintly. And Mai managed to smile back.

* * *

The next day, Zuko was on an old, dated, Fire Nation army ship. The 13 year old prince was banished from his homeland, not to return unless he captured the Avatar.

Mai had snuck out of her house to watch the ship depart. In her hand, she held the Fire Tulip Zuko had given her 4 years prior. Pressed between the pages of her heavy M encyclopedia, the wilted flower was still just as beautiful to her as it had been on the day she received it.

Zuko looked down from the ship's deck, the left side of his face heavily bandaged. His Uncle Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Mai..." The prince whispered to himself. He caught the eyes of the young girl standing on the dock below. In his pocket, Zuko fingered the rough heart shaped lava rock.

"I will capture the Avatar," Even if my father doesn't restore my honor...At least Mai will.

* * *

A banished prince, hiding away in the Earth Capitol, serving tea in an old run down tea shop. He should be looking for the Avatar, (though he was debating with himself on whether catching the arrow-headed monk was really the answer to all his problems) not on date with some Earth Kingdom girl named Jin.

"So...where are you from..." Zuko's good eye twitched.

"...My uncle and I...We traveled a lot..."

"Really? Why?"

"...We were part of a...traveling circus," Zuko began to mentally berate himself.

"Wow! What did you do?" Immediately, Zuko's thoughts wandered to Mai and her knife throwing.

"Let me guess...you juggled."

"..." Zuko blinked. "Yes...I juggled..."

After making a fool of himself several more times that night, Jin dragged Zuko to a fountain. Zuko bit back a smile, recalling the "fountain incident" between him and Mai. Kudos to Azula, probably the only thing he'd ever thank his sister for.

After secretly lighting the lanterns that bordered the fountain, Zuko found his lips pressed up against Jin's.

The weight of a certain heart-shaped stone grew heavier in the pocket of his robe. The prince pulled back.

"What's wrong?" Jim questioned, the hurt obvious in her voice.

"...It's complicated..."

* * *

He should be happy. His father actually acknowledges his presence. He was home, treated once again like the royalty he was. Earth kingdom peasant he was no longer; this is where he belonged.

Or so he thought.

His uncle was imprisoned, accused of being a traitor. (though it was not false accusation)

His mother was still gone.

The longer he remained home, the more the prince questioned his judgement. Zuko loved his country. That, he was certain. Was his country being ruled correctly? That, he wasn't quite so sure about.

"You've been spending too much time with Uncle Fatso. I know you, Zuko. You don't really believe what you're saying," His sister had said. "You're a lot of things Zuko. Stupid, yes. Hot headed, yes. Annoying older brother? Yes. But a traitor? No,"

It was the first time Azula had ever been so wrong about something.

The war meeting was the last thread connecting Zuko and his faith to his country. Listening to his father and sister discuss such gruesome war tactics severed any faith Zuko had once had.

His uncle was right. His uncle was always right.

Zuko only had one option- betray the Fire Nation and join the Avatar, the only way to restore peace and balance.

There was, however, a major flaw in this plan of the prince's. And that flaw was wrapped up in his arms at that very moment.

"Zuko, get me a grape..." Mai drawled lazily. Obediently, Zuko reached forward, plucked a grape from the table, and fed it to his loved one. Mai plucked the grape from Zuko's hand with her teeth, trailing her tongue down the length of the prince's finger.

Zuko shuddered, and Mai smirked.

I'm sorry, Mai...

The following morning, Zuko was gone.

* * *

It had taken quite some time for Team Avatar to adapt to the addition of Zuko.

"Well, no harsh feelings, Zuko, but you did...like, try to kill us!" Sokka said, playfully.

"Yeah..." Zuko ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry about that," Sokka gave the prince a light punch.

"It's all good! You're a part of Team Avatar now!"

Zuko couldn't help but smile.

Absentmindedly, Zuko raised the temperature of the fire, allowing the war balloon to raise higher. The water tribe warrior and the prince stood in awkward silence.

"Sooo..." Sokka drawled, breaking said silence.

"Uh..." The prince fiddled with something in the pocket of his robe, a habit he'd developed over the past 3 years.

Sokka, more observant than given credit for, eyed Zuko curiously.

"What's that in your pocket?" Zuko flushed.

"N-nothing! Nothing concerning you!" The water tribe warrior sneered mischievously. He stamped on the prince's foot, hard.

"Ouch!" Reflexively, he bend down to touch his foot, the heart-shaped rock rolling out of his pocket.

"Now, THIS, Zuko, does NOT seem like nothing," Sokka spun the rock through his fingers.

"Stop! Give it back!" Zuko shrieked, horrified. "If you drop that, so help me-"

The stone rolled off Sokka's palm, and sailed down to earth.

"No!" Without so much as a second thought, Zuko threw himself off the side of the war balloon, successfully catching the stone.

"Zuko!" Sokka shrieked. He grasped Zuko's ankle just in time, hoisting the spontaneous prince back onto the balloon.

"You IDIOT! Why would you throw yourself off a balloon for a dumb ro-"

"It's not just a dumb rock!" Zuko snapped, his fist clenched tightly around his cherished stone. "It's a lot more than that...It's my only reminder of home. Well, the one thing I regretted leaving at home..."

"...Your uncle?" Sokka said, raising a brow. Zuko raised one back.

"You think I'd carry a heart shaped rock around to remember my uncle?" Zuko had a far less...sweet memento from his uncle. The prince sighed.

"It's from my girlfriend, Mai,"

"The one who sighs a lot?" Sokka pipped.

"Yeah," Zuko said, smirking.

"...And here I thought you were going for my sister," Zuko frowned.

"Why does everyone think that?"

"I dunno. My sister has more of a thing for younger guys, anyways,"

"I could tell,"

The pair was silent once more.

"...My first girlfriend turned into the moon," Sokka mumbled.

"That's rough, buddy,"

* * *

"I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Come on, Zuko. We all know that's a lie," The prince's pulse quickened at the sound of the all too familiar low, sensual rasp.

"Mai..." Mai didn't let him continue

"All I get is a note? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped my heart out!"

"Mai, please..."

"Dear Mai. I'm sorry you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving,"

"Mai! This isn't about you, this is about the Fire Nation!" Zuko immediately regretted his phrasing. I'll kick myself for that later, he thought to himself.

Mai's eyes narrowed viciously.

"Thanks, Zuko. That makes me feel a whole lot better," She flung the piece of paper at the prince; the one she once loved. The one she still loved.

"Mai...please," He stood up from his chair and reached a hand out.

"Don't touch me!" She slapped his hand away violently.

"Please hear me out..." Zuko begged.

"Why should I?" Mai shrieked. Zuko took a step back. "I thought you cared! All those things you said to me...They were all lies, weren't they? You said you were nothing like your sister," Mai took a step toward him, clenching a knife so tightly, blood trickled down the side of her hand. "I guess those were lies, too? Azula always lies. Azula always lies. Zuko always lies..."

Mai jabbed the knife through the air, piercing the wall directly behind Zuko.

Tears were forming in her eyes.

Zuko clenched his teeth. He seized Mai's hand, spreading it open.

"Let go!" She spat, struggling to free herself from his grasp. Zuko said nothing, and simply pressed a cool, small object into her palm.

"What is that? Get it away!" Mai thrashed.

"Please, try to remember," He closed her fingers around the stone gently.

She would not look at him. The prince stared down at her intently, his amber eyes piercing her skin. Mai squeezed her eyes shut, cold tears trailing down her face.

"...You kept it all this time?" She said, nearly inaudible.

"Yes. It was always in my pocket, constantly," He didn't mention how he'd thrown himself over the side of a war balloon to save it, thanks to the carelessness of a certain water tribe member.

"That is so corny, Zuko," Her anger subsided, though her scowl was still highly prominent.

"I know,"

"Lady Mai, we must take the prisoner to the warden!" Two guard entered the interrogation cell. One guard seized Zuko, the other unnecessarily shielding Mai.

Swiftly, Zuko flipped the guard over, shooting a flame at his feet.

"Let GO of me!" Mai spat at her guard.

Zuko slammed the cell door shut, locking Mai inside. She stared up at the prince, her slate eyes a flurry of emotions; sadness, anger, love, and confusion. A tear ran down the side of her face. She slipped her hand out the slit of the door, returning the heart shaped stone back to her lover.

"Don't loose that, or I will kill you,"

Zuko placed the stone back into his robe pocket. Tentatively, he pressed his lips against Mai's slender fingers.

"I love you,"

Pounding down the hall, he almost didn't hear Mai's reply.

"I love you, too,"

* * *

"Cut the line!" The warden screeched out of the gondola.

Azula and Ty Lee took heed, moving to a gondola on the opposite line. The princess smirked evilly to herself. In a matter of minutes, her sad excuse of a brother would be floating helplessly in a river of lava.

"Hey, look!" Ty Lee said, pointing downwards. Azula spun around to face the direction of Ty Lee's extended finger.

"What is she DOING?"

"...I dunno,"

Guards dropped to the ground, immobilized by throwing knives imbedded in the sleeves of their robes.

The princess dismounted the gondola, fiercely approaching the knife throwing porcelain doll.

"What ARE you DOING, Mai?" She spat.

"Saving the jerk who dumped me,"

Azula scowled fiercely, clenching her fists to prepare a devastating flame to engulf the traitor before her.

Mai squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.

When the impact never came, Mai opened one eye.

"Ty Lee...?"

"Come on! Let's go!" The two began to flee, only to be intercepted by a pack of guards.

"Why? You traitors! You should be obeying my commands, not saving your stupid boyfriend!" Azula hissed with venom.

"You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you," Mai's deadpan expression pierced Azula's enraged scowl.

"Take these traitors where I'll never see them again!" The princess growled.

As the two were lead away, Ty Lee whispered.

"You really love Zuko, don't you?"

"...I don't hate him,"


End file.
